The Royal College will provide education and training on physician-assisted dying

OTTAWA, April 14, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada supports the need for a national legislative framework to provide clarity and consistency in the approach to physician-assisted dying.

Our first priority is high-quality patient care

The Royal College's first priority is to support patients by ensuring that those physicians who will integrate these new care parameters into their practice have the information and education they need to provide high-quality patient care.

Once details of the legislation have been established, we will provide guidance to physicians to ensure their full understanding of implementation. We plan to link our members to educational and regulatory resources on the topic, and provide supplementary education relevant to specialty medicine. For example, we will provide new cases within our bioethics curriculum to illustrate the ethical principles on physician-assisted dying, and we will develop workshops and other educational modules.

"We recognize the complexity of the issues and acknowledge the reasons for the limited scope of the current bill with regards to patient eligibility," said Royal College President Kevin Imrie, MD, FRCPC, FACP. "In the areas requiring further consultation, we will convene the expertise of our members and partners to help inform future legislative developments."

A continued commitment to partnerships

The Royal College and its members will need to gain an understanding of the role and responsibilities of the regulatory authorities, as well the provincial and territorial ministries of health.

We will also continue to work with our partners to determine how best to prepare doctors for the practise of medically assisted dying. To this end, we will connect with our specialty committees, national specialty societies, regulatory authorities, the Canadian Medical Association, the College of Family Physicians of Canada, medical schools and other organizations. We will continue to convene, consult and collaborate with leading experts as needed to develop an understanding and response to ongoing legislative developments.

About the Royal College

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada is the home of specialty care in Canada, setting the standards for postgraduate medical education, supporting the continuing professional development of 47,000 members and affiliates, and supporting health system innovations nationwide. To find out more, please visit royalcollege.ca.